The present invention relates to a communicating apparatus for a telephone speech conducted via an external telephone connected to a personal computer.
It is possible today to achieve a telephone call from a personal computer (PC) in which an application software of telephone functions is installed. Moreover, image data can also be directly transmitted from a personal computer in which an application software of facsimile communications is loaded.
Most application programs of this type include a telephone directory function. Namely, in a case a telephone and facsimile numbers of a communication partner are beforehand registered to the directory of the application software, it is possible to automatically transmit the telephone or facsimile number to the partner only by indicating the partner in the directory list. Additionally, also when an external telephone is linked with the computer, the user desires to conduct a telephone call via the telephone book in many cases. After the directory is opened and the telephone call is established through a dialing operation, the call is carried out via the external telephone. Therefore, other operations can be accomplished by the computer.
Moreover, when a facsimile transmission is achieved to send a manuscript, it will be more efficient depending on cases that the telephone directory is opened only to dial the call number of the partner and the contents of the manuscript are actually read and transmitted by an external facsimile device.
However, in the conventional method above, when conducting a call, the user is required to make a search for the telephone directory application in the computer and to initiate the application. When it is desired to immediately make a telephone call, the operation is troublesome and annoyance for the user. In some computer applications, when using the external telephone, the user is required to set the external telephone to an off-hook state so as to set the computer to an on-hook state. This leads to a drawback that the operation is bothersome and the telephone set can be used only by those who are versed in the operation technique.